Minga Guazú, Paraguay: A cash transport aircraft operating for security firm Prosegur crashed in eastern Paraguay, triggering chaos at the crash site where locals looted an estimated $2 million in cash, authorities confirmed.
The incident occurred on April 18, 2026, near Minga Guazú, close to Guaraní International Airport, involving a Cessna 402B twin-engine aircraft registered to Aerotax and operating on behalf of Prosegur.
According to Paraguay’s National Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DINAC), the aircraft was en route from Ciudad del Este to Asunción, transporting large cash consignments.
There were four people onboard:
- Two crew members
- Two Prosegur employees
The pilot was killed, while the remaining three occupants sustained injuries and were transported to hospitals.
Preliminary findings indicate that the aircraft suffered a left engine failure mid-flight, which led to the crash. Authorities have emphasized that this remains an early assessment, with a full technical investigation underway.
The aircraft was carrying:
- Approximately $5 million USD
- Around 15 million Brazilian reais
The cash was being transported as part of a secured logistics operation managed by Prosegur. Within minutes of the crash, the situation escalated rapidly.
Police reported that residents reached the wreckage within about 15 minutes, before security forces could fully secure the area.
According to Commissioner Carlos Duré, people “approached the place and appropriated the money,” leading to large-scale looting.
Authorities estimate that around $2 million is now missing, though the exact amount remains difficult to verify due to the nature of cash transport.
Officials have raised concerns about organized criminal exploitation in the aftermath of the crash. Reports indicate that some individuals have been posing as law enforcement officers and visiting homes in an attempt to recover or extort looted cash.
Authorities confirmed that at least one such incident has already been recorded. Residents have been urged to remain cautious and to report any suspicious activity to the police.
The investigation remains ongoing, with multiple agencies involved in determining the full circumstances of the incident. Key areas of focus include confirming the exact cause of the reported engine failure, accounting for the missing cash, and identifying those involved in the looting.
Officials noted that tracking the stolen money poses a significant challenge, as the funds were being transported in physical cash without traceable markers.
Authorities have secured the crash site, while the injured survivors continue to receive medical treatment. Search and recovery operations have been completed, and investigators are now concentrating on both the technical aspects of the crash and the post-incident looting.
